Gracie
by Yesm777
Summary: Grace ponders what her father's job means to her, as opposed to how she saw it as a child. It's different now. Darker. More dangerous. Some Danny angst. Short one-shot.


_Author's Note: I just found this on my computer and decided to post it. It's short and I know I'm pretty dang behind on the show, but this takes place some time in the future. It's a sort of a look into Grace's mind as a teenager versus when she was a child. It's got a little Danny angst in it with his daughter's comfort. It's very short, but I hope it's a good read. Thanks for stopping by and please leave a review if you've got a minute!_

 **Gracie**

Grace expertly tossed the salad, glancing back at the garlic bread toasting in the oven. She smiled as she thought about what her father would say in regards to green food. The man had some odd aversion to lettuce, usually dropping into a rant about rabbits and their dietary habits.

Satisfied with the golden crisp to the bread, she pulled it from the oven to cut and throw into a bowl. The lasagna was already on the table, covered with foil until her favorite detective came home. Grace briefly thought back to her childhood, remembering the way Danno would come home after a long day at work and still manage to feed her, love her and tuck her into bed.

Being older had brought certain awareness to Grace, now seeing things that had slipped her notice in her younger years. Of course the rants and arguments her Danno often had with Uncle Steve had now become a regular interaction between her and her father. Boys were usually the trigger to a Danno episode, as well as the occasional bikini beach adventure.

As for the scrapes and bruises that mysteriously ailed her father, they now held a much different meaning. As a child, his job was merely a position of glory and importance. She knew that his job was to protect the island and that sometimes it could be dangerous. But dangerous didn't mean the same then as it did now. Now, it meant that Danno may have had a close brush with death. It meant that her dad was putting everything on the line to keep the island safe.

She didn't want to think about all the hospital visits.

Grace shook the thought away as she returned to the dinner preparations. It wasn't often that she took the time to make a homemade meal from scratch. After all, high school was busier than she'd anticipated, with all the studies, swim team and competitive surfing. But, Danno had been having a hard case lately.

He never said much about the cases he worked, but the fact that he'd stayed late over the past few days said something. Danno had merely texted her that afternoon, mentioning that he'd be home for dinner after wrapping up the case.

Grace sighed as she rested her hands on her hips, inspecting her work. Dinner looked perfect. The only thing missing was Danno.

She jumped when she heard the front door unlocking. Grace had always thought it silly to keep the door locked when she was home, but Danno had insisted on it anyway. As it clicked open, she ripped off her apron, hastily shoving it into its usual drawer.

A grin stretched over her face, waiting anxiously for her father to come through the door. As the door opened wider, her face fell, instead creasing in worry.

Danno trudged over the threshold, his posture screaming defeat as his eyes met the floor. Bruises marred one side of his face, a white bandage wrapped tightly around his forearm. He looked exhausted, the familiar dark circles nestled under his eyes.

"Danno?" Grace greeted gingerly, taking a small step forward. He looked up at her wearily, offering a joyless smile before closing the door behind him.

"Hey, Monkey." he said softly, doing his best to press enthusiasm into his tone. It fell flat, instead bringing out the sorrow in his voice.

Without a word, Grace quickly closed the gap between them, throwing her arms around her father as she held him tight. His arms slowly wound around her, weary and weak.

"What happened?" Grace asked tenderly, her voice partially muffled in his shoulder. They pulled apart, Grace searching Danno's eyes as he continued to stare at the floor.

He swallowed thickly, shaking his head slowly. "Our case went south." he croaked, tiredly swiping a hand over his face. "It was just supposed to be the usual illegal arms bust." His voice was raspy and hoarse, as if worn down by endless shouting.

Grace led him over to the couch, seating him softly on the couch as he gazed into nothingness. There had to be more than just a blip in the case. She knew Danno had worked through some pretty tough twists.

"What happened, Danno?" she urged quietly, sitting next to him as she settled her hand over his. Danny's lips pressed into a thin line as his brow furrowed.

"The dealer had rigged his house to blow at the touch of a button." Danny muttered, dropping his head into his free hand. "His kids were inside." It came out as nearly a whisper, almost lost in the overwhelming silence. His bright, blue eyes met hers, pained and haunted. "Grace, his _kids_ were inside."

Grace's face twisted in puzzlement as she comprehended her father's words. When the words finally struck, her mouth dropped open, horror plain on her face.

Normally, her father wouldn't reveal such horrid details, too focused on protecting Grace from the evils of the world. But, she could tell he was too stunned to even think it through. Too stunned by the betrayal of a father to blanket it with false smiles and laughter.

Grace knew even without asking that Uncle Steve had probably handled most of the loose ends. Danno could be stubborn and frustrating, but he had the softest and biggest heart Grace had ever known. Where Danno was overwhelmed by the emotional side of a case, Uncle Steve had a handle on it.

She quickly enveloped her father in a bone crushing hug, kissing his cheek as she let the embrace linger for a moment.

"You know I'm here for you, Danno. I'm here whenever you need me." she mumbled, nestling her head against his shoulder.

Danny wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer. "I know, Monkey." he whispered.

After all those long cases in all their long years together, Danno still managed to feed her, love her and tuck her into bed. He'd always been there, even when he was exhausted and wounded. Even after hard cases like this one.

However, from now on, Grace figured it was her turn to take care of him.


End file.
